


the world led me to you

by tiedbows



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Blood and Injury, Character Death, Everyone can turn into an animal, F/M, Falling In Love, Injury Recovery, M/M, Minor Character Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panther Keith, Shapeshifting, Sheith Big Bang 2017, will post the rest of the chapters for this really soon, wolf shiro
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-24
Updated: 2017-09-24
Packaged: 2019-01-04 16:05:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12172227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiedbows/pseuds/tiedbows
Summary: Keith has lived most of his life in solitude. He has his friends, of course, but out in the forest he was content to live alone in peace. At least, until he found an injured wolf in his territory.Shiro thought his life would always end up a certain way - until an act of betrayal in the pack nearly left him for dead. Now he finds himself in the sudden care of a big cat and, slowly, starts to believe this is where he's meant to be.But once his past decides to catch up with him and puts everything in his new life at stake, it's time to settle things once and for all.





	the world led me to you

**Author's Note:**

> well. this is a thing that happened. 
> 
> i've never been able to pull off a big bang before, but i felt determined to do it for sheith. because i love them. congrats boys, you finally got me to do this. 
> 
> this idea had been sitting with me for months and this challenge finally gave me the chance to actually do it. check out the end note for the art work from my super talented artists! also, i'll be posting the rest of the chapters to this asap! somehow i lost the middle chapter so. yeah. that's been a good time for me.

Keith caught the scent before he even saw him. 

  

The rain had arrived much sooner than expected. The strong winds pushed the rumbling dark clouds overhead, putting an early end to his hunt and causing Keith to seek out his claimed shelter - a cave located at the edge of the forest within the wall of a cliff. Hunting in the rain normally didn’t bother him, but throwing thunder and lightning into the mix was a different story. The forest was slightly more prone to lightning strikes than other parts of the local land, and Keith had long ago decided he’d rather be safe than sorry. It did, however, leave for a great abundance of firewood for the winter season.

 

He flinched when heavy drops of water slid off the end of a tree branch and landed on his left ear, making it flick off the excess moisture in irritation. If there was one thing Keith couldn't stand, it was his ears getting wet. Despite the increasing downpour, the rain couldn't wash away the distant scent of wet fur. It wasn’t one he recognized. He scrunched his nose at the unpleasant odor. The smell was akin to wet dog.

 

It struck Keith as odd for another being to linger in his territory; this particular area of the forest was known by many inhabitants to be his and it was rare that he'd get any visitors, unless invited. It couldn’t be helped - it was part of his nature. 

 

The only time he really socialized was during his trips to the lake near the commune, and even then he interacted with a select few, primarily his small group of friends. Not that there were many others eager to befriend a panther, anyway. Anything meeting outside of his preferred group was mainly business, seeing as Keith was the most intimidating being in the surrounding area and was unofficially - and unwillingly - voted to be the local guardian of the established commune. 

 

It made no difference to him; for as long as Keith could remember, he lived in solitude and preferred it that way. He embraced being alone.

 

He was close to taking another route through the treetops to avoid having to deal with the 'guest' altogether, when he caught a new whiff of another sharper scent in the chilling wind that made him freeze in his tracks. 

 

Blood. 

 

Keith was on alert now, heart rate picking up an extra beat and his short black fur bristled. His eyes scanning for any abrupt movements or even the slightest leaf out of place. He flexed his claws in anticipation of a possible ambush. It had been years since he had gotten into a serious fight, but that didn’t mean he had become careless. 

 

The direction of the wind came closer to the northwest where the rusty smell was much stronger. He narrowed his eyes and cautiously followed the scent trail. 

 

Keith had never hunted in his territory, mostly because the creatures that would scurry through were too small for his taste, and he enjoyed the challenge fishing gave him. He liked feeling that he had earned his meal. The trouts and two fat salmon strung over his back with his supply sack from his short venture to the river attested to that.

 

His steps made soft crunching sounds against the dead leaves that littered the forest floor as he picked up speed when his nose caught the blood was still fresh. 

 

The scent led him to a small clearing he passed through often, where the shrubs and plants were less plentiful and the earth was muddy and soft from the rain. There, laying on its side in an unmoving heap of grey, white and red, was the back of a large wolf. 

 

Keith paused in his place hidden among the ferns, feeling dread twist in his stomach. He had never personally encountered a wolf before, just caught a glance of a pack or two passing through while at the lake. Usually where there was one, more would follow. Upon closer inspection, he could see the impressions of what was left of dozens of paw prints of various sizes left in the mud. Rain filled the indents of the paws with tiny puddles. He inhaled deeply and the numerous, now muted, scents that once filled the clearing were long gone. This one had been left behind. 

 

He gave a start when the bloody -what he presumed dead- body began to move from its place. Violet eyes watched transfixed as the mass of wolf started to push itself onto its feet, but quickly lost strength and collapsed with a soft thud back into the puddle of mud. This time the wolf stayed down. 

 

Keith moved from his hiding place and made his way to the injured figure. If the wolf was still alive, then it might still have a chance if he acted fast. Who knew how long it had been there.

 

He examined the body closely as he approached and felt a weight in his stomach. The wolf was covered in dozen of cuts and bite marks along its back, staining the grey coat in congealed patches of red and rusty brown. There were claw marks on its side that ran from the shoulder to the ribs. Sections of fur were missing, exposing unbroken skin colored an angry pink. The poor thing looked like it could have been mangled in the jagged rocks offshore to the ocean.

 

Whatever creature the wolf had encountered barely left it one piece. 

 

Keith was only a few feet away when he felt something firm, yet soft under his paw. He stepped back to shove some leaves off of what was hiding underneath, only to jump away in shock. 

 

The limb was cold, fur caked with mud and blood. The exposed flesh and bone at the end were jagged. Teeth marks. Keith couldn't stop the rumbling growl in his chest. He never knew of anyone who would intentionally do this much harm to another being, not even during a hunt. He'd have to inform the others in the commune and its neighboring residents to stay on alert and watch for any suspicious figures. 

 

Whatever this thing was was a monster and wanted the wolf to suffer. 

 

The soft whimper snapped him back to the matter at hand. He slid up to the body and softly nudged the wolf's thigh with his muzzle. Upon closer inspection, he saw the bloody stump of what was left of the right front leg, ending right below the elbow. Water mingled with blood and mud over the exposed jagged end of the bone. Keith’s stomach twisted. There was an open cut across its snout as well, barely missing the eyes.

 

_Please... please help me._  

 

The voice was weak and barely a whisper over the rain. Grey eyes blinked slowly up at him. They were filled with a mix of pain, sadness and a hint of relief. Keith had never seen that look before in another living being. He swallowed hard. 

 

_Don’t be afraid. I’m going to help you._ He looked at the open wounds again and his gaze hardened. 

 

_Can you be moved? I have a cave near here where we can get you out of the rain._ Keith pulled back to survey their surroundings once more. They were definitely alone.

 

The wolf let out a pitiful whine as he attempted to move, only stopping when Keith rushed back over to him and placed a careful paw over an uninjured patch of fur. _I-I can’t walk… my leg…_ He let out another pained whimper and flattened his ears against his head. The left ear was tinted red from bite marks. 

 

_Shh, it’s ok. I have an idea. Give me a moment._ Keith took a few steps back and dropped his head to let his belongings fall to the forest floor. He closed his eyes and let the shift happen. Muscle and bone stretched and cracked, realigning into their new positions. He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders as he readjusted to the change in his senses. 

 

It had been a few weeks since Keith had been in his humanoid form; he was so used to hunting and going about in his panther form that he only shifted when his friends nagged him enough during their meet-ups. 

 

His bare skin tingled under the open assault from the wind and rain, but he paid no mind as he moved into action. Keith knelt beside the wolf, running his hands lightly over his wet fur and scanned for other serious injuries. Besides the missing part of his leg, it appeared that the rest of the wounds were either shallow or had stopped bleeding. The wolf tensed as his hands grazed over his ribs, a sign that at least a couple of them were possibly broken. 

 

Something needed to be done about the leg though. Keith sought out his supply sack and emptied out its contents. The cotton material was already soaked from the rain, but it would serve well as a temporary wrap until they reached the cave. He tore the material into three strips and left a large piece to cover the leg. A dark red patch appeared on the cloth as he tied the strips of cloth securely as a quick fix to applying pressure. 

 

He let out a small sigh of relief; there would be a lot of scarring for sure, but he had a chance. 

 

Keith had to get him out of here and, unfortunately, that meant they had to move - now.

 

“I’m going to pick you up now,” he said, wiping wet hair our of his eyes. He brushed a hand over the wolf’s head as a soothing gesture. "I’m going to move you to someplace dry and safe. I’m sorry if I hurt you, but I’m trying to keep you alive."

 

_Ok._

 

Keith slid his hands and arms, slow and careful, under the wolf's body, mindful of any wounds he couldn't see. 

 

He groaned as his muscles strained under the weight of the wolf in his arms. Keith nearly lost his footing in the mud when the wolf yelped in pain and jerked his head back, nearly colliding with Keith’s jaw. He planted his weight firmly against the soft earth and waited a moment for the wolf to settle before taking a few steps forward. The wolf pulled its ears tight against its head.

 

He glanced back over his shoulder, staring at the abandoned limb lying in the leaves. There was no way the leg could be saved at this point, but Keith disliked the idea of leaving it there to rot out in the open. He would return for it later once the wolf was safe.

 

Keith moved as swiftly as he could without jostling the body in his arms too much. The wolf was freezing from sitting in the rain, but the trembling lessened a little from being held against a warm body. Keith’s body naturally ran at a higher temperature than most, even without his fur.

 

The dark gaping mouth of the cave soon came into view and Keith had never been happier to see it. 

 

He embraced the sudden comfort of the dry cave and the lack of moisture under his feet. Keith stopped at the center of the enclosure to carefully place the wolf on scraps of material he used for bedding during the winter. While the cave was certainly dry, a chill hung in the air that caused the wolf to start shivering again.

 

“Hang on, I’m going to start a fire,” he said, rushing over the some rocks where he hid his supply of firewood. Keith set up the smallest pieces of kindling in a neat pile close to where the wolf rested. He grabbed the piece of flint and sharp iron ore he’d received in a trade and started scrapping off bits of flint onto the wood. After a few hard flicks, the fire sparked to life.

 

“Do you have a name? What should I call you?” Keith asked while working to keep the fire alive. Short puffs of air were directed at the small fire and he was cautious not to get to close. He needed to keep the wolf warm and awake while he got help. The fire caught on and grew, allowing a bit of the tension to ease off his shoulders. 

 

_Sh…hiro. My name’s Shiro…_ The wolf’s words were barely over a whisper in Keith’s mind, making him work even faster. He sounded so tired and that made Keith feel anxious.

 

“Shiro. Ok. I’m Keith,” he said while adding larger chunks of wood to feed the fire. "You’re gonna be ok, Shiro. I need you to stay awake for me while I go get some friends to help you. Can you do that? Please Shiro.”

 

_I….I can try._ He shuddered. It’s so cold. 

 

He had to be fast. The wolf wouldn’t have much time if he didn’t get help immediately. His quick wrapping could only protect the major wound for so long. Keith pulled the wool blanket he’d received as a gift from Shay out of his pile of supplies and carefully draped it over Shiro’s body. Right now he needed all of the heat he could get until the fire became completely stable. 

 

“Don’t worry Shiro, help is on the way.”

 

Keith shot out of the cave like lightning, going for his shortcut to reach the village. As he leapt over exposed roots and dodged low hanging branches littering the path, he knew like the back of his hand, Keith knew he’d get there faster on all fours. Hopefully by the time he returned they wouldn’t be too late.

 

_“Hunk!”_

 

His roar rang through the trees like a crack of thunder. 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> this fic actually went through many changes during its creation, but the one thing that didn't change was my vision for the beginning. it's one of the scenes that i treasure most from this fic, because it's the set up that's sends the rest of the story into motion. i'm eternally grateful for the art that was done for this story, which can be seen below!
> 
> [art by ze](http://malgoem.tumblr.com/post/165640052265/my-art-for-hyoneys-fic-for-the-sheithbigbang) // [art by mose](http://mose-doodles.tumblr.com/post/165676776107/my-piece-for-the-sheithbigbang-dddd-i-was)
> 
> (bless you both, ze and mose for even picking my fic. i'm forever grateful for your amazing work. thank you!)


End file.
